GEOL -- Geology

GEOL 410 Industrial Rocks and Minerals (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 322. The origin; occurrence; mineralogy; extraction and treatment technology; production and deposit-evaluation of rocks and minerals used in the construction, ceramic, chemical and allied industries. Restricted to non-fuels, non-metallic, non-gem materials. Field trips to industrial locations are required.

GEOL 423 Optical Mineralogy (3) One hour of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 322. The optical behavior of crystals with emphasis on the theory and application of the petrographic microscope.

GEOL 432 Biostratigraphy (3) Two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 331. Principles of biostratigraphy, paleoecology and paleogeology. Laboratory study emphasizes significant index fossils.

GEOL 434 Micropaleontology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 331. A systematic review of the morphology, classification, ecology and geologic ranges of important microfossil groups, particularly ostracodes and foraminifera.

GEOL 442 Introduction to Solid-Earth Geophysics (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 103 or GEOL 105 or GEOL 107. Formerly GEOL 448. Nature and description of the solid earth as revealed by seismology; magnetic and gravity field studies; and geothermal methods. Development of plate tectonic theory. Earthquake predictions efforts; mantle thermal convection; fluid motion in Earth's core; space-related method for direct detection of plate motion (GPS, VLBL, and SLR).

GEOL 443 Petrology (4) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 322. Corequisite: GEOL 423. Study of igneous and metamorphic rocks: petrogenesis; distributions; chemical and mineralogical relations; macroscopic and microscopic descriptions; geologic significance.

GEOL 445 Principles of Geochemistry (3) Prerequisites: CHEM 103; and GEOL 322. An introduction to the basic principles of geochemistry including geothermometry, geobarometry, geochronology and the genesis of natural inorganic materials.

GEOL 446 Geophysics (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: PHYS 142. An introduction to the basic theories and principles of geophysics stressing such important applications as rock magnetism, gravity anomolies, crustal strain and earthquakes, and surveying.

GEOL 451 Groundwater Geology (3) Prerequisites: (CHEM 103 and MATH 140) and (GEOL 110 or GEOL 103 or GEOL 105 or GEOL 107). Corequisite: GEOL 342. Junior standing. An introduction to the basic geologic parameters associated with the hydrologic cycle. Problems in the accumulation, distribution and movement of groundwater will be analyzed.

GEOL 452 Watershed and Wetland Hydrology (3) Prerequisites: CHEM 103 and (GEOL 110 or GEOL 103 or GEOL 105 or GEOL 107) and (GEOL 322 or GEOL 340 or GEOL 341 or GEOL 342). 56 semester hours. Junior standing. Physical processes by which water moves in watershed and wetland systems. Topics include: precipitation, infiltration, flow in the unsaturated zone, streamflow generation processes, and groundwater flow.

GEOL 453 Economic Geology (3) Two laboratories per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 322. A study of the geology of metallic ore deposits stressing ore-forming processes, configuration of important ore bodies, and familiarization with characteristic ore mineral suites.

GEOL 456 Engineering Geology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 341. A study of the geological problems associated with the location of tunnels, bridges, dams and nuclear reactors, slope control, and natural hazards.

GEOL 462 Geological Remote Sensing (3) One lecture and two laboratories per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 341 and GEOL 342. An introduction to geological remote sensing including applications of aerial photographic interpretation to problems in regional geology, engineering geology, structural geology, and stratigraphy. Films, filters, and criteria used in selecting imagery are also discussed. Laboratory exercises include measurements of geologic parameters and compilation and transference of data to base maps.

GEOL 471 Geochemical Methods of Analysis (3) Prerequisite: CHEM 103 and CHEM 113. Principles and application of geochemical analysis as applied to a variety of geological problems. X-ray and optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption, electron microprobe and electron microscopy.

GEOL 472 Tectonics (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 341. Selected tectonic elements of orogenic belts through out the world viewed in the framework of plate tectonics and sea floor spreading.

GEOL 489 Special Topics (3) Corequisite: GEOL 393. Senior standing. For GEOL majors only. Recent advances in geology.

GEOL 490 Geology Field Camp (6) Prerequisite: GEOL 390 or equivalent. Intense field geology course taught off campus during the summer. Students describe and compile maps of formations and structures from outcrops, subsurface, and remotely sensed data. Special fees required.

GEOL 491 Environmental Geology Field Camp (3-6) Prerequisites: GEOL 341 and GEOL 342 and GEOL 451 or permission of department. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: GEOL 490 or GEOL 491. Intensive field course designed for students of environmental geology. Students will learn to make maps, to describe soil profiles and site characteristics, to monitor hydrologic and groundwater conditions, and to measure geologic structures and stratigraphic sections.

GEOL 499 Special Problems in Geology (1-3) Prerequisites: GEOL 102; and GEOL 110 or equivalent; and permission of department. Intensive study of a special geologic subject or technique selected after consultation with instructor. Intended to provide training or instruction not available in other courses which will aid the student's development in his or her field of major interest.

GEOL 501 Earth Science for Elementary/Middle School Teachers I (4) Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. The history of the universe, the solar system and the earth, a description of the earth's atmosphere and weather phenomena. The major minerals and rocks of the earth, and a description of the major geologic processes that change the earth's surface.

GEOL 502 Earth Science for Elementary/Middle School Teachers II (4) Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 501. Description of the earth's interior, the continents and ocean basins and an explanation of those features in terms of the theories of continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics.

GEOL 503 Earth Science for Elementary/Middle School Teachers III (4) Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 502. An intensive field study of the geology of Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic States including the Coastal Plain; Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley,and Appalachian Plateau provinces.

GEOL 610 Geometrics (3) Formulation and analysis of geologic problems employing computer and statistical modeling techniques.

GEOL 614 Thermodynamics of Geological Processes (3) Prerequisites: MATH 141; and CHEM 113; and GEOL 322; and PHYS 142. Thermodynamics and its application to problems in mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry. Systematic development of the laws of thermodynamics and the principles of chemical equilibrium as applied to geological problems.

GEOL 621 Mineralogy of Ore-Forming Sulfides (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 322 or equivalent. A systematic study of chemical compositions, crystal structures, and paragenetic relations of major ore-forming sulfides.

GEOL 622 Minerology of the Rock-Forming Silicates (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 422 and CHEM 481 or equivalent. A systematic study of the structure, polymorphic relations, composition and phase transformations of the major rock forming silicates.

GEOL 623 Ore Microscopy (3) One lecture and two laboratories per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 423. Pre- or corequisite: GEOL 653. A systematic study of general principles of reflected light optics and their application to the reflected light polarizing microscope as well as techniques for identifying common ore mineral in polished section.

GEOL 632 Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 432. Principles and processes of biostratigraphy and paleoecology including: controlling parameters of the marine environment; mode of life of fossil invertebrates; evolution and ecological function of populations, communities and provinces; ecological history; time and stratigraphy including sedimentary systems and correlation.

GEOL 634 Micropaleontology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 431. A systematic review of the morphology, classification, ecology and geologic ranges of important microfossil groups, particularly ostracoses and foraminifera.

GEOL 641 Advanced Structural Geology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. A detailed treatment of stress, strain, deformation of rocks, and resulting structures on microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales; consideration of world examples of structural variation; concept and problems of plate tectonics; all designed as a complete study of structural geology.

GEOL 642 Sedimentary Petrography (3) Two laboratories per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 442 or equivalent. Sampling and description of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Includes a statistical characterization of the mineral composition, texture, structure, and geometry of sedimentary bodies.

GEOL 643 Igneous Petrology (3) Two laboratories per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 443, CHEM 481. Analysis of the genesis of the igneous rocks using chemical, mineralogic, petrographic and field data. Estimation of intensive parameters, such as temperature and pressure on the basis of these data. Interpretation of chemical variation in related rock suites in terms of fractional and equilibrium crystallization and melting processes.

GEOL 644 Metamorphic Petrology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 443 and CHEM 481. Analysis of the physical and chemical aspects of metamorphic processes. Suites of metamorphic rocks by the use of chemical, mineralogic, petrographic, and field data.

GEOL 646 Crustal Petrology (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 643 or GEOL 644 or permission of instructor. Recommended: GEOL 641. An integrated approach to the detailed understanding of the petrology of the earth's continental crust and the processes which act upon it and within it.

GEOL 650 Isotope and Trace Element Geochemistry (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 443 or permission of department. Trace elements and isotopes in geology, including modern applications in geochronology and petrogenesis.

GEOL 652 Advanced Watershed and Wetland Hydrology (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 452 or permission of department. Physical and chemical processes in watershed and wetland systems: with an emphasis on redox reactions.

GEOL 653 Advanced Problems in Economic Geology (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 453. A systematic study of particular ore deposit types or areas of mineralization, primarily involving major economically important metals. Geologic setting, mineralogy and form and character of the ore bodies, chemical and physical factors affecting source, transport and deposition of ore forming fluids.

GEOL 656 Engineering and Environmental Geology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. The relationship of humans to the planet earth; their increasing colonization based upon available food, materials, and energy; environmental consequences of resource extraction; and the desirability of planetary management policy as a long-term goal.

GEOL 660 Glacial and Quaternary Geology (3) The dynamics, form and thermal characteristics of ice as related to glacial structures. Quaternary deposition and strata in relation to older strata as well as modern day sediments. The general lithology, morphology, and classification of till. Specific emphasis on the classical Wisconsin stage of glaciation of North America.

GEOL 662 Clay Minerals and Clay Diagenesis (3) Prerequisite: GEOL 322 or GEOL 342. Characterization of clay minerals on the basis of their crystal structures, chemical compositions, and physical properties. Examination of diagenetic reactions of each of the clay mineral groups in modern sediments, shales, and sandstones.

GEOL 671 Analytical Methods in Minerology (3) Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 422; and CHEM 471. An intensive study in the operation and application of instrumentation in mineralogical problems. Emphasis on designing and testing methods of analysis for use in the student's research problems in geology.

GEOL 789 Recent Advances in Geology (2-4) Recent advances in geology research.

GEOL 798 Seminar in Geology (1) Discussion of special topics in current literature in all phases of geology.

GEOL 799 Master's Thesis Research (1-6)

GEOL 899 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-8)